Washing machine



G. w. DUNHAM WASHING -Mmmm:

- Filed' Dec. 31, 1941 -June 16, 1942'.

Fig.

Y ITS/lof George W Dunham, by mwa-JM H55 Attmmeg.

which is journaled an agitator shaft 8.

Patented June 16, 1942- WASHING MACHINE George W. Dunham, Westport, Conn., assigner to General Electric Company, a. corporation of New York Application December 31, 1941, serial No. 425,164

(ci. 'i4-s1) 'f tion pin 2| and thesp'ing 24. The friction pinI 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a variable stroke oscillating mechanism suitable for operating washing machine agitators and the like.

The object of my invention is to provide anv improved construction and arrangement in such oscillating mechanism, and for a consideration of what I believe novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is an elevation in section along line of Fig. 2 of a washing machine having a variable'stroke oscillating mechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the washing machine; Fig. 3 is a sectional'view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to thedrawing, there is shown a washing machine having a tub I supported on the upper edge of a cylindrical skirty 2 to which are secured supporting legs 3. Extending diametrically across the skirt and fixed at each end l thereto is a gear casing 4 having a wringer post 5 carrying a bearing 6a in which is journaled a wringer drive shaft 6 and an agitator post 1 in The wringer post 5 extends up along one side of the tub, and at the upper end (not shown) is provided with a suitable mounting -for the conventional wringer. The agitatorpost 1 extends up through the bottom of the tub which is clamped between a shoulder 9 on the agitatorpost and a nut I threaded on the post. The tubular body ofk a bladed agitator depends around the agitator post and is guided thereon by means of a bearing I2 xed in the lower end of the agitator. Fixed to the lower end of the'wringer drive shaft 6 is a worm gear I3 driven by a worm I4 connected through flexible couplings I to the shaft I6 of an electric motor I1 supported on I- end of the connecting rod I8 in the segment an arm 34 hinged at 35 on the gear casing. The

, provided with aseries of notches 46 into which the gear casing 4. Beneath the worm gear I3 is a connecting rod. I8 having a crank pin I9 .ro-

tatably fitting. in a socket 20 in the worm gear.

The crank pin is held in the socket 29 by means of a friction pin 2| having its lower end bearing on the bottom cover 22 of the gear casing and having its upper end extending into a recess 23 in the crank pin and bearing against a spring 24 arranged between the upper end of the friction pin 2| and the bottom of the recess 23. The other end of the connecting rod I8 is provided with a crank pin 25 which rotatably ts in a socket 26 in a segment gear 29 and is held in v the socket by means of a friction pin 21A and a spring 28 of the same construction as the fricbearing 6a in which the wringer drive shaft is lower sidesofk the supporting link 3| and mainyment gear 29. The friction surface on the'seg- 2| holds the crank end of the connecting rod I8 in the worm gear I3 and also resiliently holds the Worm gear `|.3 against the lower end of the journaled. The friction pin 21 holds the driving gear 29k and also `resiliently holds. thesegment gear against a stop 30 integral withvthe top wall of the gear` casing.

The segment 4gear 29 is pivotally supported on a link 3|. by means of a pivot 'pin 32 extending through forked ends 33 on the segment gear straddlin'g the supporting link 3|. One end of the-supporting link 3| is pivotally connected to other end of the supporting link 3| is urged against a stop 36 by means of a compression spring 31 arranged between a seat 38 on the supporting link 3| and a seat 39 on the side wall of the gear casing. The stop 36 (Fig. 3) comprises a pin fixed in a boss 4| depending from the top wall of the gear casing and carrying spacing washers 42 which engage the' upper and tain it in alignment. The compression spring 31 tends to pivot vthe supporting link 3| in a coun- V terclockwise direction about the stop 36, as viewed in Fig. 2, and urges the supporting link against a. cam 43 fixed to the lower end of a shaft 44 journaled in a boss 45 depending from the top wall of the gearcasing. The upper end of the shaft 44` has a control lever 46 fixed thereto which extends out through a slot 4-1'in the supportingskirt 2. The lower edge-of the slot41 is the control lever -46 may be seated vso as to adjustably position the cam 43. As the cam 43 is turned by movement of the control lever 46, the

providedwith cooperating friction driving sur-- faces which may comprise a V groove in the Pirlion 49 and a. V-shaped projection on the segment gear 29 comprises an are having its center at a point 50 which is between the agitator shaft 8 and the pivot pin 32 for the segment gear. Accordingly the central part of the friction surface on the segment gear will project beyond an arc concentric with the axis about which the segment gear is oscillated. In other words, part of one side of an arc concentric segment gear comes into friction driving Contact with the pinion and results in a somewhat less than full stroke oscillation of the agitator shaft 8. When the control lever 4B is in the dotted line position of Fig. 2, the segment gear is in friction driving contact with the pinion 45 throughout its full stroke of oscillation. Excessive pressure between the segment gear and pinion is prevented by the compression spring 31 which provides a givable support for the axis of the segment gear permitting movement thereof relative to the adjusting cam 43.

With the foregoing construction it is possible to select Vthe stroke of oscillation of the agitator shaft by the position of the control lever 46.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A variable stroke oscillating mechanism ,comprising a segment gear and a pinion, means for oscillating the segment gear about an axis, means for adjusting the axis of the segment gear toward and away from the pinion, and cooperating friction surfaces on the pinion and segment gear, the friction surface on the segment gear havingl a part on one side of an arc concentric with the axis of oscillation whereby the length of friction contact between the segment and the pinion varies with the adjustment of the axis of the segment.

2. A variable stroke oscillating mechanism comprising a segment gear and a pinion, means for oscillating the segment gear about an axis, means for adjusting the axis of the segment gear toward and away from the pinion, and cooperating friction surfaces on the pinion and segment gear, the friction surface on the segment gear comprising an arc concentric with a point between the pinion and the axis of oscillation whereby the friction contact between the segment and the pinion varies with the adjustment of the axis of the segment.

3. In a variable stroke oscillating mechanism, a segment gear and pinion, a pivotal support for the segment gear, means for oscillating the segment gear about said support, means for adjusting the support toward and away from the pinion, spring means acting on the support to limit the pressure between the segment gear and pinion, and cooperating friction surfaces on the pinion and segment gear, the friction surface on the segment gear having a part on one side of an arc concentric with the pivotal support whereby the friction contact between the segment gear and pinion varies with the adjustment of the support for the segment gear. Y

4. A variable stroke oscillating mechanism comprising a segment gear and a pinion, means for oscillatingthe segment gear about an axis, means for adjusting the axis of the segment gear toward and away from the pinion, spring means providing a givable support for the axis of the segment gear permitting movement thereof relative to the adjusting means, and cooperating friction surfaces on the pinion and segment gear, the friction surface on the segment gear having a part on one sideof an arc concentric with the axis of oscillation whereby the length of friction contact between the segment and the pinion varies with the adjustment of the axis of the segment.

GEORGE W. DUNHAM. 

